Abstract

Efficient high‐power laser emission has been observed at 249 nm from a KrF excimer laser obtained by an electron‐beam‐pumped mixture of Ar, Kr, and NF3 (1300:130:1) at a total pressure of 2.25 atm. An energy of 1.5 J was extracted in a 125‐nsec (FWHM) pulse from a 100‐cm3 volume, using a coaxial electron‐beam laser. Laser efficiency was estimated to be nearly 15% based on energy deposition in the gas. Over‐all electrical efficiency was ∼1%.